Pagan News from word

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Comment by Freefire Cauldron on January 15, 2011 at 12:31pm

Hi eveyone! Glad to be part of the group.

Comment by Jesse-and-Jody on March 21, 2010 at 6:37am

Thank you for the invitation!!! We're glad to be here!! Blessings

Comment by Greywolf on March 7, 2010 at 1:52pm

The New Pagans

For many, Paganism conjures mysterious, primitive, and anti-Christian images. But at an introductory pagan course in Seattle, it fits into the 21st century lifestyle of more and more Americans.
http://cosmicacres.com/ A Magical Community of Knowledge
Pagan chanting sounds like something from an ancient, exotic ritual, perhaps for sacrificing an animal, a virgin, or the like. Actually, it is "Ceremonial Magick," intoned in Greek by a young, bearded man with his long, dark hair tied back. "Hello, I'm Robert," he said, "and I'm a former pastor of Our Lady Of The Earth And Sky here in Seattle, and we're teaching a class today called Skiing the Magical Bunny Slopes, which is an introductory course on Magick, Wicca and Neo-Paganism.

In the small, carpeted basement of a New Age bookstore, Robert and two female instructors are circled by a dozen young Seattlites, mostly white women, who are curious to learn about becoming Pagans.

Paganism refers to the ancient religions of indigenous Peoples, from Indian Shamanism to Celtic Druidry, in which multiple gods personify nature. Pagans believe that human life closely connects with the environment, and they emulate natural cycles through rituals of chants, dances, and symbols of nature.

Twenty-year-old Pleni Speenya is one of the few male students in the paganism class. His path to Paganism began like many of his classmates' he doubted the Christian faith in which he was raised, and so began exploring other religions for answers.

The answers came to him in a late-night discussion with a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim, and a Pagan. "I was listening to their different conversations and stuff," he said, "and I noticed that the Pagan tended to touch upon a lot of the things that I found disagreeable with Christianity, and he started to put answers to it that I agreed with, answers that I was like, yeah, you know, I mean, I previously believed these things, but I wouldn't say that because it was against Christianity and I was supposed to be a good Christian and so of course I'd have to hush-hush about that kind of stuff, you know. Everything just started fitting into place, and it was like I found something I had been looking for this whole time."

Pleni Speenya and his classmates find something in Paganism that they haven't been able to get from their parents' churches. But the religions they're shying away from actually share roots in the faith they now seek.

Ted Fortier is an anthropology professor at Seattle University. He said, "Mainstream religions are built on pagan concepts - the estrus cycle, the Easter cycle itself, the renewal of the earth, the ideal of what dies rises again to new life and that humans have some kind of agency in this. The pagan roots, the earth roots, are very ripe and important in contemporary Christianity and contemporary Buddhism, all the great religions."

Paganism and mainstream religions have other things in common, including denominations. One such pagan denomination is called Wicca. Professor said, "It's a very simplified paganism. Wiccans usually are associated with gardeners, and it certainly has a lot to do with environmental consciousness and raising the role of women up in the world as well. Wiccan religion looks at the goddess as being the important deity."

Saying something like "Goddess bless" may sound peculiar at first. But in Wicca and Paganism in general, female as well as male deities are revered. Some men may find this aspect uninviting, but Pagan church organizers, such as Libya Vogt, promote their faith to men and women equally. She said, "I think it does attract men. I think it attracts men who are comfortable in their masculinity. I think that traditionally a lot of Western religions have been very male-focused. Maybe something that our faith allows is, it encourages a connection with the feminine."

It is difficult to determine how many Pagans there are in the United States. Many keep this religious association private to avoid prejudice. People often assume Pagans are evil and dangerous, associating them with secret societies and Satanism. But Professor Fortier says Pagans are ordinary people. He said, "It could be the grocer, it could be the banker. They come from all walks of life. I know many practicing Catholics, for instance, and other denominations who regularly celebrate the phases of the moon in Wiccan ceremonies or Pagan-type ceremonies."

The class ends with a benediction, and the dozen students have taken a step closer to becoming pagans. As one of the world's oldest and fastest growing religions, Paganism, it seems, still speaks to those searching for something to believe in.

Greywolf


http://www.cosmicacres.com/

Comment by Greywolf on March 7, 2010 at 1:52pm

Rainbow Family



While most people express a desire for world peace, few have any idea how to bring it about. Some get involved in politics or community service; others support organizations working for conflict resolution. Many say a prayer for peace in their worship services. For the past 37 years, people from all 50 U.S. states as well as many foreign countries have spent the July Fourth holiday in Santa Fe National Forest near Cuba, New Mexico to pray for world peace.
http://cosmicacres.com/ A Magical Community of Knowledge
Rainbow Family

While most people express a desire for world peace, few have any idea how to bring it about. Some get involved in politics or community service; others support organizations working for conflict resolution. Many say a prayer for peace in their worship services. For the past 37 years, people from all 50 U.S. states as well as many foreign countries have spent the July Fourth holiday in Santa Fe National Forest near Cuba, New Mexico to pray for world peace.

There is a Native American legend which says when the earth is broken and the land is dying, a tribe of many colors and creeds, like the rainbow, will rise up to heal the planet. These special people would be known as the Rainbow Warriors.

In 1972, a group of about 2,000 free-spirited individuals decided to hold a gathering for world peace and took the name, the Rainbow Family, in honor of the legendary clan. A man who goes by the name Barry Plunkar helped organize the first gathering, which was to include an hour of silence for participants to meditate for peace.

"Now there is not any one place on this planet where you could impose any sort of authoritative silence on any of these people," he says.

Only half of those present kept quiet. So the organizers made the silence voluntary and suggested that those who would like to participate should gather in a circle. Soon Christians and Krishnas, Buddhists and pagans, Jews and atheists were joining in the quiet celebration, holding hands in a meditation circle of peace. Over the years, the hour of silence has expanded, and now the circle lasts from dawn until noon.

"So there's no way to impose silence. It has to come from the community," Plunkar says. "That's self-discipline on the part of individuals."

Hour of silence grows into week of activities

The silence isn't the only thing that has grown over the years. The event itself has also grown, from a weekend to a full week of impromptu workshops, discussions and activities, with as many as 20,000 participants.

Plunkar says people often begin camping in the forest as much as a month early to prepare for the gathering, while others stay after the event on clean-up duty.

"We all share one thing: We show respect to one another, with the idea and the vibration that if we truly had any love or respect for one another, we would not lay [power] trips on one other," Plunkar says. "We are not above one other; we're not below. We're sort of living a natural equality."

Because of this natural equality, Rainbows believe in self-responsibility and govern by consensus instead of through a hierarchy. There are no leaders, because that would be exercising control over another. There are no rules, except to treat each other with respect. Therefore, there are no membership requirements. Anyone who wants to be a Rainbow is a Rainbow.

Denny, a man with long, blond dreadlocks, says while this may sound like it would inspire chaos, quite the opposite is true.

"We're known as the world's biggest unorganized organization, so everybody has to take it upon themselves to decide what their duty is. I personally love cooking, so I come with my talent and whatever I can, and a lot of people here have better talents to, say, make a tarp over the kitchen than, say, I do. So everybody comes out and brings whatever talent they can."

While some people dig trenches for latrines, others carry logs to construct foot bridges on forest paths, and still others erect tarps to shield sleeping quarters from the harsh sun. It's become a tradition to name the various campsites, so participants set up tents among the trees in areas called "Camp Kitten," 'Love Militia" and "Sushi Tribe."

It's a massive volunteer effort to feed the Rainbows during their gathering. Denny is one of a few dozen people running the kitchens, which serve free food. Like the campsites, the kitchens have catchy names. You can grab a bite to eat at sites like "Instant Soup," "Jesus Kitchen" and "Lovin' Oven." And many of the attendees take colorful Rainbow names, as well.

Turtle Girl is a marketing executive from Wisconsin. Dressed casually in a sweatshirt and khakis and sporting a cowboy hat, she kneads sourdough for bread near a large earthen oven. She says she's learned an important lesson from attending gatherings.

"Do we all know how to be kind to each other and treat each other with respect, no matter what walk of life you're in? That's what we should all be trying to do."

Musicians playing everything from folk music to rap wander through the forest, engaged in spontaneous jam sessions. Each day, people gather in the meadow in small circles for workshops on everything from herbal healing and tai chi to drumming and juggling. An outdoor market is set up along a path through the forest. Rainbows display bumper stickers, crystals, candy and other wares on blankets. Goods are purchased through barter and trade, not money.

A special area called Kid Village is set up for the smallest Rainbows. Medicine Story, a Wampanoag Indian from Massachusetts, uses his talent as a counselor to organize special games and music for kids.

"It's like a summer school in trying to figure out how to live together in a good way," Story says. "To me, the most important part of that is how we are with the kids and, of course, how we are with each other, because that effects the kids, too, and so that's my main focus."

Excitement builds as the time for silence draws near. Robby is a Rainbow elder, a respected member who has attended many gatherings. A slight man, he sits in his wheelchair in front of his tepee and recalls his first one.

"I was sitting together in silence with my daughter, and I was crying. There were tears all over my face for Mother Earth, and a sparrow landed on my foot, a little sparrow. That's the kind of thing that happens in silence."

Turtle Girl smiles as she explains what it's like to be among 20,000 people gathered silently in a meadow, praying for peace.

"It's kind of an interesting thing to stand in a circle when you can't see the other end, and you know you're all thinking about the same thing that we wish we could stop war and have a peaceful family - it always makes me cry."

These people view the changing seasons as spiritual events, and the Chicago Tribune newspaper calls their religion Paganism - the fastest growing faith in North America.

Greywolf

http://www.cosmicacres.com/

Comment by Angela BlackMoon on October 15, 2009 at 6:48am

welcome to all :)

Comment by Celticwitch on October 15, 2009 at 3:36am

Thanks Hun, looks like a worthwhile group to spread the word. BB